Folks, the government and big business are doing crazy things. Now whether there is a small group of elites orchestrating all this, that’s more debatable. But make no mistake, there are seriously disturbing trends in motion.

I just gave a talk in New Braunfels, TX (outside San Antonio), and one of the guys there was a small farmer who was playing with 52 cards. He told me matter-of-factly about the FDA’s “NAIS” program: National Animal Identification System. Its ultimate goal is to microchip (or otherwise tag) all the livestock in the whole country. If I remember him correctly, the guy also said that several states had already mandated that their farmers participate.

Of course the official site doesn’t sound ominous at all; it’s just about containing disease outbreaks! Nothing sinister here. But still, this is creepy:

Individual identification is a good option for many situations. Any animal can be identified individually if you prefer. The method of identification varies by species. USDA recommends using 840 animal ID devices whenever official animal identification is needed or applicable. Available in visual only eartags, radio frequency identification (RFID) eartags and injectable transponders, 840 devices use a standardized 15-digit numbering system.

Oh, another thing I’ve been hearing about is that these genetically modified seeds don’t reproduce. Did you know that? Further, did you know that even if you don’t buy these seeds, they might wander onto your farm from your neighbors, and then your crops become infertile too?

(The above claims come from at least two independent sources, but I haven’t actually done my own research on the matter. I used to think the worry over “GMOs” was mostly Luddite anti-corporation fretting. But now I see why the Whole Food’ers hate “Big Ag” so much.)